Clothes-washing machine



Dec. 31, 1929. .1. B. KIRBY v CLTHES WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan,

i 1 l l 'l I 1 l i l `Patented 31, 1929 PATENT ori-'ica IAIEB B. KIBBY, OF 'WEST RICHFIILD, OHIO CLOTHES-WASHING MACHINE Application med January 28, 1929. Serial No.

This invention relates to clothes washing machines and has or its object the provision of a new, improved, and simplified oscillating agitator which shall wash the clothing at least as efectually as heretofore, and shall valso effectually prevent articles of clothing from working underneath the agitator where they may be torn and abraded by contact with the bottom of the tub. Another object of the invention is the provision of an agitator -which shall to some extent tend to draw the clothes intooperative relation with its upper surface the provision of an agitator which shall be self-draining and devoid of pockets in which washing liquid may collect; while further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings accompanying ing a part of this application I have shown certain physical forms in which my inventive idea can be embodied. Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view rthrough a preferred form 250i my improved agitator showingthe same bottom :of y a 4tub washing'v compartment r11 lli`ig'.2is atop planview of the agitator shown in Fig. -1";and Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional o views of modified formsl of my invention, the formi'showni in Fig. 3 being .copied from my application Serial No. 694,899, filed February 25, 1924, and that shown in Fig. 4 being copied from my application Serial No. 281,455, filed May 29, 1928; and Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

The Washing machine here shown for purposes of illustration comprisesa liquid-holding tub or casing having a bottom wall 1, and a side wall 2, the former having at its center a vertical, hollow, bearing-sleeve 3 which preferably rises more or less above the bot,- tom as shown at 4 in Fig. 1 and 4 in Fig. 4. In Figs. 1 and 3 the center part of the bottom 1 is elevated gradually as shown at 5 to define a kind of shallow cone, although lin Fig. 4 this portion is left flat. In each case, however, this central portion is surrounded by a shallow annular depression adapted to and form# in operative position withfreference to the ...masseuse catch such articles as buttons, pins, marbles and the like.

Rotatably journaled in the sleeve 3 is. an

upright shaft 7 formed at a point vabove the sleeve 3 with a suitable drivin head 8 on which the agitator is detachabl In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 this agitator comprises a downwardly flaring, circular plate 9 formed at its center with a hollow hub 10 which constitutes a socket for the driving head 8, and also formed on its upper face with clothes rubbing and liquid agitating provisions of any suitable number and'shape. In therpresent embodiment I have-"representedthese'- as three radiating round-toppedhumps 11 of y mounted.

considerable size,'aflthough it is equally withi inlay even more-'than three,-

and to make themzot.

any desired shape,fs'ize4 and spacing. The' bottom ofthe 'plate 9 ,is'formed with a lurality of depending'radial blades 12, to w ich is tightly secured".a".-'circular. :shield-plate 13,

spaced from the platev 9 so as to define a liquid place assage. To hold this vshield plate in l have shown the plate 9 as formed at its center with a depending cylindricalxskilrt 14 spaced from` the inner ends of the bla,"d `'a ;-{s

12, but extending beyond those blades in such Wise as to enable it to project through a ciricular aperture in the center of the late 1-3, and afterwards to be spun over as -s own at.-

15 to hold said plate tightly in place.` The plate 13 preferably slants outwardly from the hub so as to shed water freely. I have shown the outer edge of the plate 9 as formed with a depending circumferential flange 16 overlapping the ends of the blades 12, in which case the plate 13 is terminated at a suiiicie'nt distance rom this lange to define a peripheral slot 17 allowing the egress of washing liquid. The plate 9 is yformed in or adjacent to the hub 10 with perforations 18 for the admission of washing liquid. The shaft 7 being oscillated vigorously about its axis as customary in such machines, the centrifugal force-exerted upon the adjacent liq uid by the blades 12 ejects the same beneath the margin of the plate 9 and over the bot tom of the tub, thereby eiectually opposing the ingress of articles of clothing beneath the agitator. Also the ingress of liquid through the aperture 18 tends 1n some degree to draw the clothing articles down upon theI top of the agitator where they are the more efectually acted upon. l

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 3 the plate 9 is formed at its top witha plurality of plain radial blades 11. Perforations 18n allow ingress of liquid through the plate near the center whencezit is ejected peripherally by the action of the blades 12fl with which the bottom of that plate is provided. N o bottom plate is used but the bottom-blades sweep closely over the bottom 5 of the tub.,

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 the exterior of the driving head 8 is formed with a depending, hollow, cylindrical sleeve 20 surrounding and spaced from the upper end of the sleeve 4 and forming therewith an air bell. The lower end of the sleeve 20 is formed with spaced lingers 21 receiving in steadying relation -the cylindricalv inner Wall 22 of the hollow hub 24. At its lower end this hub is flared outwardly to produce a circular plate 25. The hub is formed exteriorly with a pluralitybf spaced radial blades 26, and at the bottom of the plate 25 is also provided a plurality of radial vanes 27. Secured to the bottom faces of these vanes is a circular plate 28 closely overlying the bottom 1 of the tub and having a central aperture 29 through which the sleeve 4 passes freely. The body of the hub is formed between the ribs 26 with perforations 3.0 for the ingress of washing liquid which is ejected by the vanes 27 The latter in Fig. 4 projlect laterally beyond the disk 25 to assist 1n t e washing action.

As a result of the currents of liquid produced by this agitator the clothes are brought into close engagement with the washing part thereof and at the same time deflected away from the gap beneath it, thereby preventing injury to the clothing while permitting wide manufacturing tolerance. Also the device is free from danger of catching buttons and other foreign articles', or of retaining washing liquid. It will be understood that many changes 'in detail can be made within the scope of my invention and I do not limit myself as specifically recited in my several claims which I desire may be construed broadly, each independently of limitations contained in other claims.

cillation thereof for discharging liquid laterally thereof close to the tub bottom whereby ingress of articles of clothing beneath the agitator is opposed.

2. In a clothes washing machine, in combi- 4 nation a tub, an agitator located therein adl jacent to the tub bottom and oscillatable about a vertical axis, said agitator underlying the clothing in said tub, and meanscarried by said agitator and actuated by the oscillation thereof for discharging liquid laterally from beneath the margin of the agitator whereby ingress of articles of clothing beneath the agitator is opposed.

3. In a clothes washing machine, in combination, a tub, an agitator located therein and oscillatable about a vertical axis, said agitator comprising a circular plate having its margin a jacent to the tub bottom, projecting elements carried by the top face of the plate, and means carried by said plate and actuated by the oscillation thereof for discharging liquid laterally from beneath its margin whereby ingress of articles of clothing beneath the agitator is opposed.

4. In a clothes washing machine, in combination, a tub, an agitator located therein and oscillatable about a vertical axis, said 'agitator comprising a circular plate having its margin adjacentl to the tub bottom, proj ecting elements carried by the top face of the plate and blades beneath said plate adapted to displace liquid centrifugally as the agitator is oscillated, said plate being apertured at a distance from its margin for admission of washing liquid.

5. In a clothes washing machine, in combination, a tub, an agitator located therein and oscillatable about a vertical axis, said agitator comprising a circular plate having its margin adjacent to the tub bottom, projecting elements carried by the top face of the plate, said plate having one or more apertures for washing liquid at a distance from its margin, and blades beneath said plate for forcing such liquid laterall out across the tub bottom.

6. In a clot es washing machine, in combination, a tub, an agitator comprising a metal plate covering only a portion of the tub bottom and provided with a socket opening through one face for the operating shaft, said plate having apertures therein for the passage of washing liquid therethrough, and means operative upon oscillation of said agitator for causing an outflow of liquid from beneath said plate.

7. An agitator for clothes washing machines comprising a circular metal plate having at its center a socket whose axis is substantially normal to the plane of the plate, clothes-rubbing and liquid-agitating provisions on the opposite side of said plate from the socket, and radial blades on the same side of said plate with said socket, said plate having apertures between said,blades.

8. An agitator for clothes washing ma-k therethrough, and means for causing washing liquid to flow through said apertures from the upper to the lower face of said plate as the agitator is oscillated and to be discharged around the margin of said agitator.

9. An agitator for clothes washing machines comprising a circular plate having liquid-agitating and clothes-rubbing provisions on one face and a socket opening through the other face, a circular shield plate concentric therewith and spaced from the last named face, and radial vanes between said plates,

' said first plate being apertured for ingress of washing liquid and said second plate having its margin spaced from the margin of said first plate for the egress of such liquid.

10. In a washing machine, a tub, an agitator located inside said tub having clothesrubbing provisions on its upper face, said agitator located closely adjacent the bottom of the tub, and being apertured for the passage of liquid therethrough, means for oscillating said agitator, and means carried by said agitator and operative by said oscillation for drawing liquid in through such aperture or apertures and discharging it laterally across the tub bottom from beneath the margin of said agitator whereby entrance of clothing beneath said agitator is opposed.

11. In a clothes washing machine, in combination, a casing, and a dasher journaled therein, said dasher having a circular disk adjacent to the casing bottom, a plurality of radial vanes carried by the upper faceof said disk, and a second disk located on top of said vanes, said second disk having blades on its upper face and also having a central, hollow elevated portion formed with water-admitting apertures.

12. In a clothes washing machine, in combination, a casing, and a dasher journaled therein, said dasher comprising a pair of vertically-spaced, concentric, circular disks, and radial vanes between said disks, the upper disk having an elevated hollow portlon formed with external ribs and perforations between the ribs. l

13. In a clothes washing machine, in combination, a casing, and a dasher journaled therein, said dasher having a circular disk adjacent to the casing bottom, means for oscillating said dasher, and means operative during the oscillation for producing a radial islcharge of liquid adjacent one face of the 14. In a clothes washing machine, a tub, ,an agitator located inside said tub and comprising a circular plate having its margin adjacent to the tub bottom, the side wall of the tub being spaced away from the margin of said plate, and the tub bottom being formed between said plate and side wall with an annular depression which is lower than the portion covered by the agita-tor and gis adapted to catch foreign bodies as buttons and 15. In a clothes washing machine, a tub, an oscillatable dasher mounted therein upon a vertical axis, said dasher having a central socket opening downwardly, a driving shaft traversing the bottom of said tub and having its upper end fitting in said socket, said dasher having a circular disk portion which extends laterally in all directions adjacent the bottom of the tub, blades carried by the upper face of said disk, and radial vanes carried by the lower face of said disk.

16. In a clothes washing machine, a tub, an oscillatable dasher mounted therein upon a vertical axis, said dasher having a central socket opening downwardly, a driving shaft traversing the bottom of said tub and having its upper end fitting in said socket, said dasher having a circular disk portion `which extends laterally in all directions adjacent the bottom of the tub, blades carried by the upper face of said disk, and radial vanes carried by the lower face of said disk, said dasher having perforations near its axis to permit washing liquid to circulate downwardly near thetub center and outwardly between said vanes.

17. An agitator for clothes washing machines having a central socket for a driving shaft, a circular disk to underlie the clothes coaxial with said socket, blades on the top face of said disk to agitate the clothes, and

blades on the bottom face of said disk to keep i clothes out from beneath.

18. An agitator for clothes washing machines having a central socket for a driving shaft, a circular disk to underlie the clothes coaxial with said socket, blades on the top face of said disk to agitate the clothes, and blades on the bottom face of said disk to keep clothes out from beneath, said dasher having perforations near its axis to permit washing liquid to circulate downwardly near the center and outwardly between said vanes.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

` JAMES B. KIRBY. l 

